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STANDARDS FOR ILLUMINATING GAS

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Page 1: STANDARDS FOR ILLUMINATING GAS

NEW HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY 775

school will tend to develop. This is the kind of scientist thatthe university is beginning to prepare for his professional calling.He is to be the chemist of the future. Surely the high schoolscan ill afford to fail to give to any student the inspiration forsuch a career.

Chemistry is in the evolutionary state. It is growing so rapidlythat we make a mistake in insisting upon the infallibility of ourlaws. This thought alone should make us place less emphasisupon the material part of the science. The tendency of todayis to treat each science in relation to other sciences. By treatingchemistry apart from the rest we lose much of value. Thechemistry of the future will bear an organic relation to theworld in which we live. Let us try to develop this relationin the high school. We are already beginning to do this forchemistry in our few courses in "general science." Let us relateit even more closely by giving chemistry as part of a worldprocess. This is the highest plane to which any science canaspire. This is the goal that chemistry will attain.

STANDARDS FOR ILLUMINATING GAS.The Bureau of Standards, Department of Commerce, has prepared a

monograph on "Legal Specifications for Illuminating Gas," which is a briefdiscussion of the recommendations made by this Bureau for state or citylaws to control the quality of illuminating gas sold.The Bureau undertook several years ago an investigation of calorimetric

standards and of flame standards for gas photometry, but as the workprogressed it became evident that other phases of gas testing were equallydeserving of attention, and the ’field of the investigation was therefore ex-tended to include all gas-testing work.As the heating value of a gas is a better measure of its usefulness for

power, heating, or lighting with mantles than is the candle power of thegas, the heat delivered to customers should be measured and controlledin order to insure good service. For open-flame lights only, the candlepower must be maintained. As many persons still use such burners, eventhough they are less economical than a mantle, the candle power can not beentirely overlooked. The Bureau of Standards proposes that a secondaryrequirement be fixed by cities to insure sufficient candle power of thegas for this use, and that the heating value be made the principal basis’ ofgas rating.The basis of rating of the gas and its purity are also discussed in this

paper. Copies may be had by addressing the Bureau of Standards, De-partment of Commerce, Washington, D. C., referring to TechnologicPaper No. 14.